Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-15
FOR THE FARMER.
The independence of a Farmer Does Not
Necessarily Depend on Very
Large Means.
Which is Best, Hill or Level Cuiturc?-
Care in Feeding Horse5-Farm
LabOrerS.
THE INDEPENDENT FARMER

\ d.
The occupation of farming is praised
| by many because it enables those en-
| gagged III 1T to be to a great extent in
dependent. The farmer certainly can
| direct his own affairs, as there is no
association or union to tell him when
| he shall work and when he shall re-
| main idle. He is free to exercise his
| own Judgment in relation to how he
manages his place. what he shall raise,
and how he shall dispose of it. He is
at liberty to work eight or eighteen
hours each day He is not liable to be
assessed for the support of persons
| engaged in strikes for shorter hours or
higher wages. He is never called
| upon to engage in parades or to assist
IN making demonstrations. He can
| buy labor in the cheapest market, and
is not obliged to confer with any per-
son except those he employs about the
| time or method of payment. He can
have his work performed by hand or
/ by the use of machines. He is lord of
! his own acres, be they few or many.
| He is not likely to be injured by strikes
| of the class of men whom he employs
| in doing work. In this respect he is
| in a more independent position than
manufacturers, contractors, and rail
way managers.
| A farmer may be messurably indie
| pendent in the matter of obtaining
| supplies. He may, If he has the means
and is given sufficient time, raise
| nearly everything he requires for sup
plying his table. He can arrange for
having beef, pork, mutton, and a
variety of fowls, all of his own rails
ing. He should never 90 away from
his farm to obtain eggs, milk, butter,
| and cheese. He should have an
| abundance and great variety of
vegetables ald small fruits in their
| season. He should have pond where
| he can raise carp and other fish for his
| table. With good cellar he will find
| no difficulty in keeping large fruits,
potatoes, garden vegeta bles, and
| many other articles of food over the
winter. If he has an ice-house, he
can keep fresh meat, fowls, fish,
| perishable fruits, and cooked food in
it for several days. By keeping bees
a substitute for strip can be obtained
| without cost. With few acres in
forest trees a supply of fuel will be
provided.
A farmer who has arranged for pro-
ducing nearly everything for supply
| inc his table, who has on his place
wood for fuel and timber for fence
| posts, comes about as near being indie
pendent as man can be. He has
little to pay and as a consequence does,
not need have very much to sell. A
horse that can be raised on the place
will sell for enough to buy good car
rage and harness. The few grocery
bills can be paid with eggs and butter
The increase of stock beyond the num-
Der of animals that can be kept on the
place will sell for enough to pay taxes
| and for clothing, furniture, and tools.
A farmer who is in 8. condition to do
all these things may not be very
wealthy, but he will be provided with
all the necessities for comfort. He
will also have many of the things that
are generally classed among the luxu-
ries. He can have leisure and the
means for enjoying it. He will have
no anxiety about keeping his house
warm if there is a scarcity of coal
and the roads are drifted high with
snow, with no way of getting to
town to obtain groceries and provis-
ions, he will find that his table is
spread" not only with nourishing
food, but with that which tempts and
delights the appetite.
Although it appears to be easy to
become an independent farmer, COM
paratively few who own and occupy
farms can be regarded rs such. The
farmer who has q mortgage on his
place is far from being independent.
His earnings are pledged till such time
as his secured debt is paid i'll full.
There is a cloud on his title, and an
other one on his hopes. He is con-
stantly anxious in relation to how he
is to raise money to meet his indebted
ness. The farmer whose name is at
tached to several chattel mortgages,
who has outstanding notes, store
debts, and miscellaneous obligations
is dependent on the mercy of his cred
itors. They will expect him to sell
meat that he raises as soon at it is in
condition to send to market, whether
prices are high or low The farmer
who is Obliged to sell nearly all the
products of his place in order TO pur-
chase fuel and provisions is almost as
far from a state of independence as
the day laborer III a large city who is
obliged to buy everything he eats and
burns. The farmer who first seeks
and finds a position of independence
will obtain what wealth combined
with anxiety can not procure.-Ch6
cGgo Times.
HIGH OR LEVEL CULTURE.
II hos beeO for MANY vearr q die